Warriors New Head Athletic Trainer Trying Something New With Curry’s Problematic Ankle

Warriors new head athletic trainer Troy Wenzel has already come with a new approach for the troubled right ankle of point guard Stephen Curry. And, so far, Curry and coach Keith Smart said they are comfortable with and confident in the current treatment.

Curry has sprained it five times this season, including a mild sprain he sustained in practice on Jan. 25. Previously, Curry said the focus was on strengthening the ankle to keep it from rolling over so easily. So between games he spent his rehab time going hard to build up his ankle. The new plan? Rest.

CURRY: “Our new athletic trainer Troy is bringing new ideas to how to treat it and kind of keeping it consistent. Not saying the old stuff didn’t work. But sometimes a different approach can maybe spark recovery. It’s just consistency, trying to make sure I stay on my routine every practice day and get my ankle rehab done. … We’re allowing it to heal a little longer. In between games, not really killing my ankle and kind of fatiguing it out. Instead, if we have a break in between, we’re making sure in those days I’m just icing and staying off of it. That’s a pretty good way to recover instead of strengthening it really hard in between.”

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Wenzel took over for Tom Abdenour on Jan. 22. He replaced Ton Abdenour, who after 24 years with the Warriors left to take a job at San Diego State. His last game was Jan. 21 vs. Sacramento.

In addition to changing the between-games routine, Wenzel changed the taping technique on Curry’s ankle. Smart said he was confident with the new tape job they’re doing now. So confident, he said he isn’t concerned about Curry re-aggravating the ankle in the Rookie Game during the All-Star break.

CURRY: “We’ve tried every tape technique this year. This one is the one I started with, after I came back and took that nasty brace off, the one Tom was hooking up. It’s nothing I haven’t seen before. But it’s just one that we’re sticking with and making sure that we do it the same way every time.”

Curry has also made one other small adjustment. He now wears a size 13 shoe, which is a half a size smaller than he normally wears. Curry said it took some getting used to, because he usually likes breathing room in his Nikes. But with the tape job and the smaller sneakers, his ankle is more secure.

Marcus Thompson

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Funny that the first thing he does is find shoes that fit the players.

rigged

Curry has sprained it five times this season, including a mild sprain he sustained in practice on Jan. 25.

CURRY: “Our new athletic trainer Troy is bringing new ideas to how to treat it and kind of keeping it consistent.

New ideas? After 24 years with Tom Abdenour and the endless line of player injuries, it’s about time. Hopefully, we won’t be seeing those Warriors dragging their feet while gasping for air after three cross court run on the floor.

W’s in 2010

Now if we can only replace Bob Fitzgerald, I would give Lacob complete pass on this year. Bring back Papa!

Fire FITZ;
Fitz is the biggest homer. I watch NBA TV, and listen to other teams TV guys. When their teams do someting stupid, they say so. Not Fitz.Monta could shoot 1/2 court shots all night, and all Fitz would say is THAT’S unfortunate. Him and Rod on KNBR constantly belittle the callers that don’t agree with them. Since they know it ALL.

Yoda

Yeah, watching Warrior games is painful with Fitz calling them. As much as I love Barnett, if a game is on League Pass with another team’s announcing crew I watch that instead just to get relief from all of the dumb excuse making.

Fitz is horrible. I can’t stand his condescending attitude and constant whining. He doesn’t have an engaging style, voice, or rhythm. He’s not funny and doesn’t seem to have good chemistry with Barnett. I love Barnett and he seems to get irritated with Fitz whenever he tries to explain away the Warriors woes as if fans don’t know any better. I’m with Yoda, whenever I can watch a Warriors game without having to listen to Fitz, I do it. THANK YOU LEAGUE PASS.

Bring back Greg Papa.

Bill

Fitz’s worst thing is how he raves about the opposition…oh Chris Paul this and Manu that!

spare me!! does he work for Golden State or not?

Bill

one more thing…if I was in the NBA (big laugh here at my age and only 6-2) and Ginobli charged knee-first into my chest, I promise you I’d grab him under the knee and flip him ass over tea kettle like a circuc acrobat and then step on his chest and gladly get ejected from the game….but we have wimp center AB and matador defense across the board, especially from Monta and Reggie…and if Curry throws one more one-handed hook pass telegraphed seconds before, I’m going to lose it!!

Frustration Sensation

i don’t really want to crap on a guy after he’s been thoroughly kicked in the breadbasket, but i have to agree with everyone else. fitz is hella bad and needs to go, like, yesterday. i usually listen to KNBR while i watch just so i can hear tim instead of bob. sucks cause i end up missing jim and i really like him.

G-money

I totally agree, both Jim and Fitz gotta go… I didn’t even notice it until this year when my girlfriend asked me, “Are you watching a Warrior’s or Clipper’s game?”
They both seem fascinated about the opposition’s player rather than raving about the Dubs.

Kick Out

It’s actaully an old idea. Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation…the RICE prescription has been around for ever and it works.

W’s in 2010

Greg Monroe, 21 pts/11 rebs. Just saying.

Felix Guillory

Fitz’s problem is not his on air broadcast, he and Jim compliment each other very well. His problem is his over the wall comments on the radio sho, with that other guy, oh! yea his name is Rod something or other.

http://n/a Conrad Goer

I find it very interesting that following an article about Stephan Curry’s ankle, most of the responses are about Fitz. This just shows how desperate W’s fans are for a competent and objective description of the games. Listen to how he whines if the W’s don’t do what he thinks they should. If they don’t rebound he makes it sound like he personally has been putting them through rebound drills and it just eats him alive that they won’t do what he wants them to. On the radio show he has on NBA experts from around the league. He asks them questions but we don’t get to hear the answers because if he doesn’t agree with what they are saying he cuts them off and corrects them. He’s quite insulting to his guests and his listeners. He is living proof of how hard it is to deal with the common people who are not experts on absolutely evertying like he is. I love the idea of Greg Pappa and Tom Tolbert. What a treat that would be! Bay Area basketball fans are quite basketball savvy and deserve better. It’s been hard enough to be a W’s fan but having to listen to Fitz describe it all is like pouring salt in an open wound. Please Mr. Lacob–help us!

bankshot30

I agree with many of the comments that the broadcast team needs a change. Only, I think Jim Barnett is the one that needs to go. I am sick and tired of hearing what he would have done on seventy five percent of the plays that go on. He must realize that the game is quite different from when he played and decisions have to be made much quicker against bigger, quicker, and more athletic opponents. I call for an immediate insertion of Tom Tolbert as the “color” man. Given time, I think Gary St Jean would be better than JB.
Also, with the record of injuries the Warriors have suffered over the years, I think is long over due for a new athletic trainer.